Ore concentrator



Aug. 16,1927.

K- M. MATHE ET AL ORE CONCENTRATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l w 5 1... r5 NW D,

on mu Filed ril 30,

WITNESSES Aug. 16, 1927. 1,638,864

K. M. MATHE ET AL v ORE CONCENTRATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 KMMaZfie dMMaZheINVENTO LS- WITNESSES ATTORNEY Aug. 16,1927.

K.M. MATHE ET AL ORE CONCENTRATOR Filed April so, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTORS zfllllafiw WITNESSES (SWKM ATTO RN EY Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENNEDY MONTHFERD MATHE AND JOHN MONTHFERD MATHE, OF HAMMOND,

INDIANA.

ORE CONCENTRATORI Application filed April 30, 1925. Serial No. 27,000.

This invention relates to an ore concentrator operated by mechanicalmeans, and especially useful in placer mining for separating theconcentrate containing free gold,

or other precious metals from the sand,

gravel. and other material in which they occur.

The general object of the invent-ion is to provide a mechanism adaptedto be driven from any suitable source of power, and arifii anism withrespect thereto.

The detailed construction of the invention and its advantages will bemore fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate one embodi- :i nient thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof with the ill) p an removed.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the 11116 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 7"? of Figure 2. v p

The device which comprises our invention includes asuitable stationaryframe 10, on which is supported an adjustable frame 12 connected theretoat one side by hinges 13. ihis adjustable frame supports all of theoperating mechanism,including an internal combustion motor 14, or anyother source of power by which the mechanism .may be driven.

A suitable number ofbrackets 15 are secured in overhanging relation tothe frame 12 on the side opposite the hinges 13, and

each of these brackets is formed with a hole e 16 for receiving athreaded spindle 17 the lower end of which is -,l1inged, as at 18, to

the frame 10. Aworm gear 19 is threaded on the spindle 17, and providedon its upper face with ball bearings 20 on which the bracket 15 rests. Alongitudinal shaft 21, journaled in the frame 12, has worms 22 securedthereon, which engage the respective worm gears 19. A miter gear 23,secured to the shaft 21, meshes with a miter gear 24, which is securedto a stub shaft 25 journaled on the frame 12, and provided with a handcrank 26, or other suitable device by means of which the shaft 21 may berotated to drive the worm gear 19 to swing the frame 12, and all of themechanism carried thereby upwardly or downwardly about the hinges 13,

The frame 12 includes a pair of longitudinal spaced bars 27, locatednear the longitudinal center thereof, and having a pair of spaceduprights 28 secured theretoin the upper ends of which is mounted a pivotpin 29, whichconstitutes a fulcrum for a lever 30. This leve 1 isnormally in substantially a vertical position, and its upper end isformed with arms 31 having inclined apertures 32, which are inalinement, and in which is secured a laterally extending, in clinedspindle or shaft 33. The pan 34 has a reinforcing plate 35 secured toits bottom, and provided with bearings 36 which are journaled on theprojecting ends of the spindle 33. Thus, it will be seen that the pan 34is laterally inclined, as shown in Figure 6, and that by rotating theshaft 2]., the inclination of the pan may be adjusted, as shown indotted lines in Figure 6, along with the operating mechanism which issup ported by the frame 12, and which will presentlv be described.

The lower end of the lever 30 is formed with spaced ears 37, pivotallyconnected to one end of a connecting rod 38, the other end of which isconnected to a crank 39 secured to a crank shaft 40 journaledtransversely of the frame 12. A spur gear 41, secured tothe shaft40,1nesheswith a spur gear 42 journaled on a transverse shaft 43,

which constitutes the main drive shaft. A. clutch 44 keyed to the shaft43 may be operated by means of a lever 45 pivoted to the frame 12 toclutch the gear 42 to the shaft, thereby rotating the crank shaft 40 androcking the lever 30 about its fulcrum, and oscillating the pan 34longitudinally. T he shaft 43 may be driven by any suitable means, thatshown consistingof a pulley 46 secured to the shaft, and connected by abelt 17 to a pulley 48 on the motor 141-.

A sprocket wheel 19 is also journaled on the shaft 6L3 on the oppositeside of the clutch n, and the latter may be moved in the oppositedirection to clutch the wheel l9 to the shaft. Thus, the wheel 49 may bedriven to impart a rocking motion to the pan 3% by means of mechanismwhich will now be described.

I The sprocket wheel 49 is connected by a sprocket chain 50 to thesprocket wheel 51 secured to a jack shaft 52, which is journaledtransversely of the frame 12 beneath 'and substantially in the samevertical plane with the pivot pin 29 on which the lever 30 isfulcruiied. tr pair of brackets 53 are sup ported for oscillation on theshaft 52, and to the upper ends of these brackets are securedlongitudinal bars l, the ones of which e resiliently connected. to theframe 12 by springs 55. A pair of shafts 56 and 57 are journaled on thbars near opposite ends thereof, and sprocket wheels 58 and 59, cured tothese shafts, are connected by sprocket chains 60 and 61 to sprocketwheels (32 and 63. respectively, which are secured to the jack shaft 52.lilccentrics (i4 and 65 are secured to the respective shafts 56 and 57,and each of these eccentrics, as shown in Figure 5, is adapted to engagea roller 66 mounted in a bracket 67, which is secured to the bottom ofthe pan 3d. The eccentrics 6d and 65 are secured to their respectiveshafts in opposite relation to each other. Thatis, the largest portionof the eccentric G l is vertically above the shaft 56 when the largestportion of the eccentric 65 is vertically below the shaft 57 and viceversa, so that as the eccentrics are both rotated in the same direction,one end of the pan 34: will be raised, and then the other end will belowered, thus causing the pan to rock aboutthe spindle as an axis.

in theoperation of the invention, the base frame 10 is anchored to theground in any suitable manner, and the inclination of the frame 12 isadjusted by the rotation of the shaft 21, thus adjusting the inclinationof the pan 3%, so as to give the best results for the character ofmaterial which is being separated. As the material is placed in the pan,the clutch l7 is moved so as to clutch the gear l2 to the drive shaft43, thus rocking the lever 30 about its fulcrum. The spindle 33, onwhich the pan is centrally pivoted will then be oscillated back andforth in a short are, the length of which bears the same ratio to thethrow of the crank 39 as the upper arm of the lever bears to the lowerarm. As the pan is thus oscillated, the rollers 66 ride back and forthover the arcuate edges of the eccentrics 64 and 65. It is preferred tooperate the mechanism at a speed which will oscillate the pan about twohundred and sixty times a minute. This agitates the materialsufliciently, so that the san gravel and the like are washed over thelow side of the pan by water which is constantly supplied, leaving theconcentrate in the bottom of the pan. llhen suilicient concentrate hasthus collected, the clutch is shifted to engage the sprocket wheel 49.The bodily oscillation of the pan then ceases, and it is then r cked ortipped to and fro about the spindle as an axis. The gearing is soproportioned that this rocking or tipping motion from one end to theother takes place about twenty-four times per minute, thus washing offthe surplus material from the concentrate, and leaving the latter readyto be sent to the refiners.

in order to secure the best results, quicksilver should be used in thebottom of the pan. This will collect the tiny particles of free gold,and prevent it from being washed away di. the final concentration. Adrain cock Go is rovided at the lowest point in the bottom of the pan,so that the surplus quicksilver may be drawn off at the conclusion ofthe operation.

ll hile we have shown and described in detail the construction andoperation of the invention in one form in which it may be embodied, itis apparent that various modifications may be made in the constructionand arrangement of the various elements without departing rem thesalient features of the invention, or sacrificing any of its advantages.It is our intention, therefore, to

include all such modifications within the' scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ore concentrator, a frame. a lever fulcrumed on the frame, apan pivotally connected to the lever, eccentrics mounted onsubstantially horizontal axes and supporting the pan near the endsthereof, and means for swinging the lever to move the. pan in an arcuatepath while it is guided on said eccentrics.

2. In an ore concentrator, a frame, a lever intermediately fulcrumed onthe frame so as to swing in a substantially vertical plane, a panpivotally connected to the upper end of tee lever, eccentrics mounted onsubstantially horizontal axes and supporting the pan near the endsthereof, the axes of said eccentrics being resiliently supported on theframe, and means for swinging the lever to move the pan in an arcuatepath while it is guided on said eccentrics.

3. In an ore concentrator, a frame, a lever fulerumed on the frame, apan pivotally connected to the lever, eccentrics mounted onsubstantially horizontal aXes and supporting the pan near the endsthereof, and means selectively operable to swing the lever to move thepan in an arcuate path while it is guided on said eccentrics, whichremain idle, or for rotating the eccentrics to rock the pan while thelever remains idle.

l. In an ore concentrator, a frame, a lever fulcrumed on the frame andextending upwardly, a pan pivotally connected to the upper end of thelever, eccentrics mounted on substantially horizontal axes andsupporting the pan near the ends thereof, the axes of said eccentricsbeing resiliently supported on the frame, and means selectively operableto swing the lever to move the pan in an arcuate path while it is guidedon said eccentrics as the latter rem' stationary with res tiect to theiraxes, or forrotating the eccentrics to roclr the pan while the leverremains idle. i

In an ore concentrator, a frame, a pan pivotally supported above theframe, two oppositely disposed eccentrics rotatably supported onparallel transverse axes beneath the pan and supporting thebottomthereof on opposite sides of its pivot, thus controlling the position ofthe pan with respect to said pivot, and means for selecti ely rotatingthe eccentrics to rock the pan about its pivot, or for moving the pivotlongitudinally the frame.

(5. In an ore concentrator, the combination of a frame, a transversespindle supported above the frame, a pan mounted on said spindle andclutch controlled means for selectively moving the spindle and pan longitudinally of the frame or for rocking the pan about the spindle as anaxis.

7. In an ore concentrator, the combination of a frame, a transverselydisposed inclined spindle supported above the frame, a laterallyinclined pan mounted on said spindle, and clutch controlled means forselectively moving the spindle and pan longitudinally of the frame orfor rocking the pan about the spin he as an axis.

In an ore concentrator, the combination of a frame, a lever pivotedthereto, a pa n pivotally connected to thelever and clutch controlledmeans for selectively swinging the lever about its pivot to move the panloi .dinally of the frame without changpan mounted on said spindle,clutch controlled means for selectively moving the spindle and panlongitudinally of the frame or for rocking the pan about the spindle anaxis, and means for tilting said frame laterally to vary the inclinationof said pan.

it). In an ore concentrator, the combination of a frame, a leverintermediately pivoted on the frame so as to swing in a substantiallyvertical plane, a pan pivot-ally,

c-nnected to the upper end of the lever, a rod connected to the lowerend of the lever and clutch controlled means for selectivelyreciprocating the rod to swing said lever about its pivot and oscillatethe pan longitudinally of the frame or for rocking said pan about of theframe or for rocking the pan about the spindle as an axis, and means foradj usting the second frame about its hinged con nection to thestationary frame to vary the inclination of the pan.

12. In an ore concentrator, the combination of a stationary base frame,a second frame hinged thereto at one side so as to tilt laterally, alever intermediately pivoted to the second frame to swing in asubstantiallyvertical plane, a laterally inclined pan pivotallyconnected to the upper end of the lever, selectively operable means forswinging the lever about its pivot to move the pan longitudinally of thesecond frame without changing its angular relation there to or forrocking said pan about its pivotal connection with the lever, and meansfor adjusting the second frame about its hinged connection to thestationary frame to vary theinclination of the pan without changing therelative position of the lever andits actuating means with respect tothe pan.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have heretoaffixed our signatures.

KENNEDY MONTHFERD MATHE. JOHN MONTHFERD MATHE.

